There's a new man in charge in Mrs. Clark's Kindergarten Class at Carolyn Lewis Elementary School! The students just completed an "election" for Class President and Vice President.

"We were learning about American symbols and discussing the role of our country's President," says teacher Ashley Clark. "We talked about what it means to be a leader and what characteristics a president should possess."

At the end of the unit, the students decided whether or not they wanted to become a "candidate" for President or Vice President.They discussed the roles and what each job would entail.

"They took this VERY seriously," says Mrs. Clark. "They made posters and came up with slogans like "I promise to look out for you!" and "I promise to ask for more center time." One student even brought candy and campaign cards to try to win more votes!"When it was time to decide, the students completed "voter registration" cards before they were able to vote. After registering, they were given the ballots with each candidate's name. They voted in a private "voting booth.""I was very proud of my students for choosing the class leaders based on their character and positive behavior, rather than just choosing their friends," Clark adds.

The new class leaders will have jobs such as helping to make classroom decisions, running errands, and speaking to larger groups at the school.